This blog is divided into two sections. The first deals with experiences in rescue/placement of homeless cats and dogs. The latter focuses on the treatment of wildlife in our city parks, specifically, Canada geese. These birds have recently been targeted by government officials for a 2/3rds "reduction" in population. Thousands have been cruelly rounded up and gassed in NY over the past several years. This is an issue that cries out for address and is covered substantially in this blog.

About Me

"Enter all the information about yourself that you want others to know."
What do I want others to know about me? Interesting question.
The answer will be less complex and likely to be discovered in the
context of the blog.
One's self is found in one's writing and doings in life (I suppose) as
opposed to what one says about one's self.
For now (9-08) simply to update the picture. -- My beautiful dogs,
Tina, Chance and me.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Bozi -- A Case Study of Grief in Animals

Bozi: After losing his nesting mate early in the spring, Bozi remained in the same area of the Jackie Onassis Reservoir for months. Though there was opportunity to join with other flocks and perhaps even find a new mate, Bozi chose to remain alone. Three months apparently not sufficient time to mourn and mend a broken heart.

Scientists are just beginning to catch up to what many of us have known for decades.

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That is that yes, animals think, feel, organize, grieve and even plan as the Time magazine piece below attests to.

Anyone doubting that need only observe Canada geese for a period of time. Their utter devotion to mates and offspring, their intricate social orders and hierarchy, their organization and cooperation, not only with their own species, but others as well. All of these point to a species that is highly social and adaptable to environment and changing circumstances, as well as consciously aware of what behaviors and actions to incorporate for optimum species survival.

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But, as the Time piece points out, what is true of geese is also true of many other species.

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Certainly, the most bodies of scientific evidence to this point exist for dolphins, whales, elephants, the great apes, dogs, cats and others. But, that is only because these have been the most studied species.

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The goal of this blog has been to also study (and log) the behaviors of Canada geese.

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Time and again, geese have (also) demonstrated grief over the loss of mates, offspring and family members. While in most cases, such grief is, in time replaced by the stressors of nature to "move on and adapt" this is not always true. Sometimes the grief and mourning is prolonged.

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One recent case of not quickly adapting and "moving on" is Bozi, the gander whose nesting mate, Floozie perished over this past spring at the Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park.

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For weeks after the death of his beloved, Bozi patrolled the Reservoir, constantly calling out. His honks were long, eerie, hollow and somewhat reminiscent of a coyote howling at the moon. Certainly, they were nothing like the short and excitable honks usually heard from geese, particularly when in flight.

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Finally seeming to realize that Floozie was lost for good and never to return, Bozi eventually "tagged along" with another goose pair (John and Mary) on the water, though he always maintained respectful distance from the established couple.

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Around that time, other geese began arriving at the Reservoir in preparation for the molting season. (Period of six weeks when geese lose and regrow their flight feathers.)

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It was my hope then that Bozi would join up with one of the several flocks of geese that stayed at the Reservoir during the molt as that is what nature would presumably compel him to do.

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As there was a total of 26 geese at the Reservoir during the molt, it became difficult to differentiate Bozi from the other geese or for that matter, even decipher John and Mary.

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It was simply hoped and assumed Bozi would assimilate himself with others and perhaps even find a new mate.

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But, imagine the personal shock to discover Bozi alone on the water once again, after the other geese had left when regaining their flight feathers.

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The only other geese still remaining on the Reservoir post molting season were Hansel, Greta and their sadly doomed gosling at the time, Remy.

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Sadly, Remy (like the two goslings before her) also perished mostly likely due to egg addling which stifled and impacted normal development in the eggs. While Hansel and Greta remained at the Reservoir for at least a week following the loss of their last gosling, they eventually had to accept their losses and move on as nature compelled them to do.

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But, not so, Bozi who still remained stubbornly and steadfastly on the Reservoir, this time, utterly alone.

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I did not know what to make of this unusual and quite frankly, disturbing situation and for that reason, did not write of it in this blog. Put simply, I didn't know how to or exactly what to say.

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Nothing appeared to be physically wrong with Bozi that would prevent him from moving on with the other geese and otherwise explain the bizarre situation.

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But, apparently the wound in his heart had never healed -- even over the three months from losing his mate and even the numerous opportunities to join with other geese or even find a new mate.

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For at least two weeks, I continued to see Bozi each evening patrolling lazily at the north east side of the Reservoir -- not far from where his ill fated mate had nested. He always recognized me and came in greeting. I would toss some cracked corn to Bozi and he would saunter on the rocks to eat. But, I think that was more to placate me than due to any particular hunger.

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Still, I remained baffled and without explanation for why Bozi did not seem to realize the importance of finding other geese to flock with. As noted many times in this blog, the future is indeed grim for "loner" geese without other geese to at least tag along and loaf with.

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Then one evening I went to the Reservoir to find the north east side of the running path that surrounds it, cordoned off from the public due to restoration work. There was no way of going to the area where Bozi usually was found in the water.

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I walked to the far north side of the Reservoir (where the running path was still open to the public) to peer over the water, but could not see Bozi anywhere in the distance.

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I continued to do this for some nights, but it was the same story. Bozi finally seemed to be gone.

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I am not sure if it was all the extra work activity occurring on the running path that finally spooked or prompted Bozi into leaving or something else, but he was nowhere to be found.

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Moreover, I don't know where Bozi might have gone.

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With the exception of the Boat Lake in Central Park, the other watercourses have been devoid of geese. But, I know Bozi did not go to the Boat Lake, as it is the same 7 geese who have been there all summer.

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And so the mystery continues. Why did Bozi not leave with the other geese when regaining flight? Why did he not take advantage of opportunity to join other geese and find a possible new mate? Why did he not seem to realize -- or care -- about the importance of doing these things?

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Finally, did nature ultimately prevail and did Bozi finally make the moves necessary to survive? Or did he perhaps suddenly perish?

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I cannot answer any of these questions with any kind of certainty.

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What does seem certain in the sharing of this story is that in some geese, even three months is not time sufficient to mourn and "get over" the loss of a loved one.

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And so I say to the writer of the Time magazine piece, "It is not just elephants, dolphins or the great apes, but many other animals as well who think, feel and grieve -- perhaps, most notably, Canada geese."

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As for we humans, the irrefutable and mounting scientific evidence demonstrating how other species of animals think, feel, communicate, grieve, plan, organize and in some cases, even name each other (something I also believe true of Canada geese from personal observances) present us with enormous ethical challenge and moral dilemma for the future.

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For if compelled to finally face the truth about other animals, it also compels us to examine and reevaluate our behaviors towards and treatments of them which to this point, have been noting short of abominable throughout the ages. -- PCA